Maddy and God
PAC I, 2 2014
MADDY: Hi God.
GOD: Hi Maddy. How’s it going?
MADDY: I never get tired of PAC. I mean….sometimes I get really tired, but not…
GOD: I know. I know.
MADDY: You ever get tired, God?
GOD: What?
MADDY: Tired. You ever tired?
GOD: Oh..sorry..I didn’t hear you. I was napping.
MADDY: What?
GOD: Kidding!
MADDY: I mean, with all the people you’ve got to help…everything you’ve got to do. It’s like your life is one big PAC camp.
GOD: I like that. Does God get tired, huh? Remember how worn out you were last night?
MADDY: Yeah. I was beat.
GOD: You couldn’t wait to go to bed. Then just before bedtime you had a talk with somebody…
MADDY: (name the person) ____________. It was really great.
GOD: A good friend.
MADDY: Yeah.
GOD: Somebody who really loved you.
MADDY: I hope so.
GOD: And what happened to your being tired?
MADDY: I don’t know. I guess I forgot all about it. I mean when you’re talking to somebody you love. .
GOD: . . . I think you just answered your own question.
MADDY: Huh?
GOD: You asked me if I ever got tired…well, I don’t sleep, but sometimes I get very tired of the way people treat me…how they sometimes forget me.
MADDY: Oh.
GOD: But it’s like you last night….when I get to talk to a good friend…someone who really loves me…well, it just changes everything.
MADDY: Wow.
GOD: Love can do that, Maddy.
MADDY: I wish I could tell people that.
GOD: What?
MADDY: That I love them. I’m terrible at it. I mean I do love them…I really do…but getting those words out of my mouth. …well. . . It’s easier out here than most places, but. . .
GOD: Do you love me?
MADDY: Huh? Sure.
GOD: Then tell me.
MADDY: (a beat, then) I love you, God.
GOD: Why?
MADDY: Why?
GOD: I asked first.
MADDY: Okay…uh…I love you because you’re everything to me.
GOD: That was good. I’ll remember that. Maddy, when you tell me you love me…when you tell anyone you love them, tell them why.
MADDY: Why?
GOD: Why.
MADDY: I asked first.
GOD: (laughs, then) Because then it really means something. Otherwise “I love you” sounds like something on a piece of Valentine’s Day candy. It’s sort of generic. Go ahead…give it a try.
MADDY: Now?
GOD: Some place you need to go?
MADDY: Oh. Sorry. No. (thinks a moment then to someone in the audience) ___________, I love you because _____________.
GOD: That was great. I really liked that. And so did__________________. . . and he’ll/she’ll remember it. Now ask someone else to try it.
MADDY: (to someone in the audience) _________________? Would you? (the camper or counselor stands and tells someone why they love them)
(then) This is great, God. I love this. I could do it all night.
GOD: All night?
MADDY: I mean …all weekend!
GOD: Weekend?
MADDY: (a long beat, then) I mean…all my life.
GOD: Yeah…yeah, you can.
MADDY: I just hope I have the nerve.
GOD: With God…
MADDY: With God…
GOD: I can do that.
MADDY: Uh-huh.
GOD: Yes you can.
MADDY: Yes, I can. (exit)